Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today said he hopes the Johor palace will not interfere in the state’s administrative affairs, following the flip-flop over the maximum membership age for youths in youth associations.
State rulers are welcome to comment on administrative and policy matters but should allow their state governments to make their own decisions, Muhyiddin said today.
Commenting on rumours that Johor’s rapid-fire changes of positions regarding the new legal definition of youth were due to royal interference, the home minister and Pagoh MP said the incident bode poorly for ties between the state government and the palace.
“I was puzzled how this could have happened as we had a lengthy discussion in the Dewan Rakyat in which all the Johor representatives had agreed.
“We hope the Johor state government can clarify the matter and if needed, the youth and sports minister could meet with the Johor palace as I was told this happened due to the palace’s opinion.
“These are administrative matters, the state should be given the space to execute uniformed policies,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.
On Monday, the Johor government said it would maintain its age cap for youths at 40, only to announce a day later that it would follow Putrajaya’s redefinition of the maximum age for youths at 30.
However, on Tuesday night Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, the executive councillor in charge of youth, sports, entrepreneur development and cooperatives, said the Johor government would revert to 40 following “advice from several quarters”.
Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim uploaded a photograph of him with Menteri Besar Sahruddin Jamal and Sheikh Umar on Tuesday night.
“We are open to views on such matters, but don’t let it come to a point where it is seen as interfering with administrative matters.
“I respect the views of Tuanku (Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar), the Johor crown prince. I’m also a Johorean and we want policies introduced at the federal level to be seen positively and this is indeed positive.
“It should be accepted and not misperceived. I hope what is being described as ‘interference’ will not happen,” Muhyiddin said.
Asked if there was any truth to rumours that the U-turn by the Johor government was due to instructions by Tunku Ismail, Muhyiddin said he could not confirm it.
The PPBM president said he only learnt about the matter through the media.
He said if Sheikh Umar had indeed made the decision on the age cap, he should think it through.
Last Wednesday, the Dewan Rakyat approved the Youth Societies and Youth Development (Amendment) Bill 2019 which redefined youths as being aged between 15 and 30, instead of 15 and 40.
This would, among other effects, impact the membership of youth organisations.